Modern electronic systems are frequently implemented as a combined hardware/software system built on a single silicon chip. The full system design is usually created by using a first tool.
In order to ensure that these chips will function properly, it may be useful to test the full-system design of the electronic system, before incurring the expenses of actually creating the physical silicon chips. The full-system design is typically simulated and tested by using a second tool, such as a simulator.
However, the use of two different tools may increase time and cost associated with testing the full-system design. For example, a user may need to exit the first tool to use the second tool. In addition, the user must provide a written description of components that is created using the first tool to the second tool. As such, two different tools are generally required, thereby increasing cost as well as the time required to create the written description of the components and to simulate them using a second tool.